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SB0953 • 2026

Pensions and Retirement Benefits

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8, Chapter 34; Title 8, Chapter 35 and Title 8, Chapter 36, relative to retirement.

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Powers, Burkhart
Last action
2025-05-13
Official status
Effective date(s) 05/05/2025
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Tennessee Retirement Bridge Benefit Act

This bill allows political subdivisions in Tennessee to offer a supplemental bridge benefit for certain retirees who are covered by mandatory retirement rules and have reached age 55 but not yet 62.

What This Bill Does

  • Allows political subdivisions to start offering a supplemental bridge benefit after July 1, 2025, for members retiring between ages 55 and 62.
  • Requires the supplemental bridge benefit to begin on the member's retirement date or the first day of the month following their 55th birthday, whichever is later.
  • Specifies that members retiring between 55 and 60 will receive the benefit for up to seven years after they retire, while those retiring at age 61 or 62 will get it until they turn 67.
  • States that political subdivisions can adopt this new bridge benefit through a resolution passed by their chief governing body, but once adopted, it cannot be changed back to an older version.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Retirees who are covered by mandatory retirement rules and have reached age 55 but not yet 62.
  • Political subdivisions in Tennessee that want to offer a supplemental bridge benefit to their retirees.

Terms To Know

political subdivision
A local government entity, such as a city or county, within the state of Tennessee.
supplemental bridge benefit
An additional retirement benefit provided to certain retirees who are covered by mandatory retirement rules and have reached age 55 but not yet 62.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how the supplemental bridge benefit will be funded.
  • It is unclear if all political subdivisions in Tennessee will choose to adopt this new benefit for their retirees.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

Amendment 1-0 to HB0977

Plain English: The amendment allows political subdivisions in Tennessee to offer a supplemental retirement benefit called a 'bridge benefit' for certain retirees starting July 1, 2025.

  • Political subdivisions can provide a bridge benefit to members retiring between ages 55 and 62 who are covered by mandatory retirement provisions. The benefit duration varies based on the retiree's age at retirement.
  • The amendment specifies that once adopted, the new bridge benefit cannot be changed back to an older version previously used.
  • The exact financial impact and implementation details of the bridge benefit are not specified in the provided text.
Amendment 1-0 to SB0953

Plain English: The amendment allows political subdivisions in Tennessee to offer a supplemental retirement benefit called a 'bridge benefit' for certain retirees starting July 1, 2025.

  • Political subdivisions can provide a bridge benefit to members who retire between ages 55 and 62, with specific rules on how long the benefit lasts based on when they start receiving it.
  • The amendment sets conditions for when retirees will receive this additional benefit, including age requirements and duration limits.
  • The exact financial details of the bridge benefit are not specified in the provided text.

Bill History

  1. 2025-05-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 05/05/2025

  2. 2025-05-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Pub. Ch. 383

  3. 2025-05-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 383

  4. 2025-05-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  5. 2025-04-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for action.

  6. 2025-04-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  7. 2025-04-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  8. 2025-04-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled and ready for signatures

  9. 2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., Ayes 91, Nays 0, PNV 0

  10. 2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0389)

  11. 2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Subst. for comp. HB.

  12. 2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. SB subst.

  13. 2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  14. 2025-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.

  15. 2025-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/16/2025

  16. 2025-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/15/2025

  17. 2025-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

  18. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  19. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 29, Nays 0

  20. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0222)

  21. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Finance, Ways, and Means Committee for 4/15/2025

  22. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  23. 2025-04-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/14/2025

  24. 2025-04-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2025

  25. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee

  26. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  27. 2025-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee

  28. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 4/9/2025

  29. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 4/9/2025

  30. 2025-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/8/2025

  31. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 4/2/2025

  32. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 4/2/2025

  33. 2025-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee Ayes 8, Nays 0 PNV 0

  34. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/25/2025

  35. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/26/2025

  36. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  37. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Public Service Subcommittee for 3/19/2025

  38. 2025-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Public Service Subcommittee

  39. 2025-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  40. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate State and Local Government Committee

  41. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  42. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, caption bill, held on desk - pending amdt.

  43. 2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  44. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  45. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

ON APRIL 14
, 2025, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 953, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 rewrites the bill to, instead, make the following revisions to present law:



Authorizes, a
fter July 1, 2025, a political subdivision
to
adopt a supplemental bridge benefit for members who are in positions covered by mandatory retirement provisions. This supplemental bridge benefit
must
apply to those members retiring on or after the effective date of the resolution adopted by the political subdivision's chief governing body, and who have reached 55, but less than 62. The supplemental bridge benefit and any cost-of-living adjustments attributable to that benefit must commence on the member's effective date of retirement or on the first day of the month following the month the member reaches 55, whichever is later. Members retiring between 55 and 60
must
be paid the supplemental bridge benefit for a period not to exceed seve
n
years after the member's effective date of retirement. Members retiring after reaching 60, but no later than 62
must
be paid the supplemental bridge benefit until the member reaches 67. The supplemental bridge benefit and any cost-of-living adjustments attributable to the benefit must cease on the first day of the month following the month in which the member dies, or on the first day of the month following the last month of the supplemental bridge benefit payments, whichever occurs first.



Authorizes
political subdivisions that have previously adopted a supplemental bridge benefit prior to July 1, 2025,
to
adopt, through a resolution passed by the political subdivision's chief governing body, the supplemental bridge benefit
described above
. The political subdivision's change to the supplemental bridge benefit
must
be irrevocable, and the political subdivision
must
not be permitted to elect the previously adopted supplemental bridge benefit at a later date.



Provides that the
supplemental bridge benefit is considered a part of the retiree's retirement allowance for purposes of
present law

provisions relative to reemployment after retirement
.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 977
By Burkhart

SENATE BILL 953
By Powers

SB0953
002994
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8,
Chapter 34; Title 8, Chapter 35 and Title 8,
Chapter 36, relative to retirement.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 8-36-823, is amended by deleting the
language "annually" and substituting instead the language "annually, or at such other intervals
as may be set by the board,".
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.